Name: Delicious Duncan Hines Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 box Duncan Hines cake mix - 15.25 ounces; 1 box lemon gelatin - 3 ounces; 2/3 cup of water - HOT; 2/3 cup oil - vegetable; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract; 4 large eggs - room temperature; Easy Lemon Glaze; 1 cup confectioners' sugar; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon); 1 tablespoon milk

Jump to Recipe

Delight your taste buds with this zesty Lemon Bundt Cake! It’s a perfect blend of citrusy goodness and moist texture. A quick dessert made with a box cake mix and lemon gelatin that is light and fluffy, a tasty treat for any occasion!

There is a small rectangular tray with slices of yellow cake on it. In the background, there is a large clear glass plate with half of a round, ring-shaped cake with grooved sides. There is a white glaze drizzled over the cake. There is also a small white bowl with blue berries and a lemon cut in half in the backgound. Items are on a white marbled surface.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour + 5 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Prep Level: Beginner +

What You’ll Love

Bursting with Lemon Flavor
Foolproof with Cake Mix Convenience
Quick and Easy to Make
Super Moist Texture
Perfect for any Occasion

There is a small white plate with a piece of lemon cake on it. There is a white glaze drizzled over the cake. There is a whole lemon and a half of lemon in the background. There is a fork on a white cloth napkin laying next to the plate. Items are on a white marbled surface.

I recently saw Jamie Lee Curtis on the Today Show raving about her favorite lemon cake and I thought to myself, well that sounds like the lemon cake I make! It’s a recipe from the Cake Doctor that I’ve tweaked to my liking over the years!

This delicious cake has so much flavor, it’s a hit every time I make it, so let’s start baking!

There is a red rectangular box with writing on it. It is a classic yellow cake mix. There is a white round dish with four brown eggs in it. There are two white bowls. One has light yellow gelatin powder mix in it. The other has yellow liquid oil in it. There is a clear glass measuring cup with water in it. There are two very small clear glass bowls. One has brown liquid (vanilla extract) in it and the other has clear liquid in it (lemon extract). Items are on a white marbled surface.

Ingredient Notes

Yellow Cake Mix: For this recipe, Duncan Hines Lemon Cake Mix was used. There are a lot of boxes of cake mix to choose from, you can use your favorite box of lemon cake mix.
Lemon Gelatin: Yes, lemon gelatin not lemon pudding.
Vegetable Oil: Sunflower, canola, or corn oil can also be used.
Water: Hot water is the key.
Vanilla Extract: Adding vanilla helps round out the tanginess of lemon.
Lemon Extract: Just a few drops of lemon extract enhances any lemon cake recipe.
Large Eggs: Using room temperature eggs in baked goods contributes to the fluffiness of the final product.

There is a black measuring cup with white powdered sugar in it. There is a half of lemon next to the cup and a small clear bowl with milk in it. Items are on a white marbled surface.

Simple Glaze

Confectioners’ Sugar: Also known as powdered sugar or icing sugar.
Fresh Lemon Juice: For the best lemon flavor, fresh is best!
Milk: Adds a little richness to the glaze. Heavy cream or half and half can be used.
Optional Garnish: Lemon zest and fresh blueberries.

Step-by-Step Instructions

There is a ring-shaped cake pan with fluted sides. It has a light coating of flour in it. There is a can of cooking spray and a wooden scoop with flour in it. Items are on a white marbled surface.

Spray bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

There is a large white bowl with dry cake mix and dry lemon gelatin in it. There are two white bowls. One has yellow liquid oil in it and one has four cracked open raw eggs in it. There is a clear glass measuring cup with water in it. There are two very small clear glass bowls. One has brown liquid (vanilla extract) in it and the other has clear liquid in it (lemon extract). There is a hand held electric mixer with beaters on in sitting next to the large bowl. Items are on a white marbled surface.

Add the box of cake mix and lemon gelatin powder into a large mixing bowl.

There is a large white bowl with dry cake mix, dry lemon gelatin and vegetable oil, water, and vanilla and lemon extract in it. There is a white bowl with four cracked open raw eggs in it. Bowls are on a white marbled surface.

Pour in the oil, hot water, vanilla extract, and lemon extract.

There is a large mixing bowl with yellow cake batter in it. There is a white bowl with four cracked open raw eggs in it. Bowls are on a white marbled surface.

Mix ingredients until just slightly combined.

There is a large white bowl with yellow cake batter in it. There is a black hand mixer in the bowl. The bowl is on a white marbled surface.

Slowly add the eggs and mix, scraping the sides if needed.
Increase to medium speed and beat until completely blended and smooth.

There is a ring-shaped cake pan with fluted sides. It has a light coating of flour in it. There is yellow cake batter in the pan. Pan is on a white marbled surface.

Pour batter evenly into the prepared bundt cake pan.
Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake.

There is a ring-shaped cake pan with fluted sides. There is yellow baked cake in the pan. Pan is on a black wire rack which is on a white marbled surface.

The cake is done when it is light golden brown and has just begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Use oven mittens and remove the pan from the oven. Cool on a wire rack.

Prepare The Lemon Glaze

There is a small white mixing bowl with a creamy white liquid in it. There is a stainless steel whisk resting in the bowl. The bowl is on a white marbled surface.

While the cake is cooling, combine all the glaze ingredients and mix until smooth.

There is a ring-shaped cake pan with fluted sides. There is yellow baked cake in the pan. There is a large clear glass plate on top of the pan. Pan is on a white marbled surface.

Run a knife around the sides of the pan, invert and remove from the pan on to a serving platter.

There is a ring-shaped cake pan with fluted sides upside down on a large clear glass plate. Plate is on a white marbled surface.

Tap and gently shake the pan so the cake slowly releases and comes out.

There is a round, ring-shaped cake with grooved sides. There is a white glaze drizzled over the cake. The cake is on a large clear glass plate. Plate is on a white marbled surface.

Spoon glaze over the warm cake. Sprinkle lemon zest over the top. Slice and serve.

See recipe card below for complete measurements and bake time.

How To Know When A Cake Is Done Baking

The edges of a cake should slightly pull away from the cake pan. The color should be golden brown for light cakes and chocolate cakes should have a shiny matte look.

Use the toothpick test: A toothpick or cake tester should come out clean after inserting into the center of the baked cake.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Don’t skip the Lemon Gelatin – Adding the gelatin mix (not pudding) deepens the lemon flavor and make the cake super moist.
Prep the Bundt Pan – Grease every crevice of you Bundt pan thoroughly, then dust with flour to help prevent the cake from sticking.
The Glaze – Adjust the amount of lemon juice for the desired consistency of the glaze. Less for thicker and more for thinner. With the quantities listed in this recipe, most of the glaze is absorbed into the moist cake. Decrease the lemon juice to one tablespoon for a harder icing.
Lemon Zest – The rind of one lemon produces about 1 tablespoon of zest. Using a citrus zester is the easiest tool, but the small side of a cheese grater can be used in a pinch!
Step it up a notch – Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for complete indulgence!

To Invert a Cake Pan

Run a long sharp knife around the edge of the cake pan.
Place a large plate on top of the cake pan. While holding the plate firmly in place, flip it so the plate is on the bottom and the cake pan is on top of the plate.
Tap and gently shake the pan so the cake slowly releases and comes out in one piece.

There is a small rectangular tray with slices of yellow cake on it. There is a lemon cut in half in the background. Items are on a white marbled surface.

More Delicious Sweet Treats to Make

Easy Mexican Cheesecake Recipe
Easy Marbled Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies
Old-Fashioned Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Lemon Dump Cake
Kentucky Butter Bundt Cake
Lemon Brownies from The Domestic Rebel

Yield: 12 servings